In 2009, the Ada County Association of REALTORS® made a commitment to Green - to be more green, to teach about green, and help their members to become more green. The ACAR Green Task Force created a sustainability policy that was then approved by the 2009 Board of Directors. The sustainability policy states:
The Ada County Association of REALTORS® is committed to setting an example of environmental and social responsibility for the real estate profession and the public in Ada County with observance to the protection of private property rights for all. This commitment to sustainability starts with our office and extends to our membership and the community. We will provide members with education on the value of sustainable properties and green buildings and with the tools and resources to conduct their businesses in a more environmentally responsible manner that betters the communities in which we live.
ACAR began to take steps to change the way it did business and the products it used when delivering services. We can proudly say that in 2009 we became proactive by:
- Conducting an energy audit to determine where our inefficiencies existed and creating strategies to correct the issues
- Setting quarterly goals for building improvement and benchmark numbers to know when improvement occurs
- Providing recycling receptacles in our meeting rooms
- Changing incandescent bulbs to compact florescent lights or LED lights
- Switching from disposable beverage containers to ceramic mugs and actual glasses
(Donated courtesy of Pioneer Title Co, Windermere Richard B. Smith, Group One, and Sustainable Futures Glass Co.)
- Asking staff to hibernate computers and turn off monitors when not in use, including our computer lab
- Beginning a "Green Tip of the Week" in our weekly E-bulletin to help educate our members
The ACAR Green Task Force is committed to increasing our efforts and providing more resources for the membership to utilize. We will be active throughout 2010 and have in fact dedicated March 2010 as "GREEN Awareness Month" for ACAR. We will continue to pursue the goal of reducing our carbon footprint and hope that you will join us on our journey.